Shoe sole



sept. 28, 1943. l. l. TUBES 2,330,458

SHOE SOLE Filed Sept. 1l, 1940 ATRRNEY.

Patented Sept. Z8, 1943 naar `2,330,458 S'HoEsoLE f Ira I. Tubbs,lMuntVernon, Iowa, assignorto' Margaret trustee L. Tubbs," Mount' Vernon,Iowa,` as

Applicationl September 11, 1940,l Serial No. 356,241-

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shoe soles. c

One object of the invention is to provide a sole construction provided`with improved means for attaching cleats or calks to the sole. f f

Another object of the invention is to provide-a sole constructionembodying exible metal 'plates to which cleats or calksv are so anchoredthat imf pacts or stresses on the calks are distributed to the sole soas to avoid the .formationof relatively definite lines of flexure orcleavage in the plates and as to permit the normal transverse flexing ofthe sole as the weight thereon is shifted progressively toward the `toeduring use.

Another objecty of the invention is to provide a shoe sole constructionembodying calks .for athletic or the like use which kavoidstheimposition of vertical calk impacts on A.relatively small superjacentportionsof the sole and .therey -Y by assures not only more vcomfort tothe wearer but provides greater durability as well.

Another more speciiic objectfof .the invention is to provide asoleconstruction comprisinga metal calk-anchoring plate and attachingmeans for calks which do not impose distructive stresses on the plate atthe points of anchorage thereto as the calks are deected from normalpositions during use.

Other objects of the invention relate to various features ofAconstruction and arrangement of" parts which will be apparent from aconsideration -of the following specication and accompanying drawing,wherein l Figure 1 is a bottom plan View of a shoe sole embodying theypresent improvements, part of the sole being broken away;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partially in section, of the shoe soleshown inFigure 1;v

Figure 3 is a perspective vviewof a calk'o'r cleat p in detachedrelation d v ,c

Figure-4 is a broken sectional viewk through'a calk as on line li-- ofFigure 1;

Figure 5 is a broken sectional view illustrating j a modication of thestructure shownin `Fig-` ure 4;

Figure 6 is a similar vertical g through a modiiied sole and calkconstruction;

Figure 7 is a-broken sectional .vieWof an additional'modication of theimprovements; A, Figure 8 is a plan'view of another embodiment of thenovel sole construction;

Figure 9 is a section taken `online 8--9 ofiFigv ure 8; and

Figure 10 is a perspectiveview of acalkof mod-r ied form.

sectional zview ,Inv` Figures 1,l 2 :and 4 vof ,thetdrawing a sole `lllY is shown :formed of ilexibleV or resilient'material, preferably:of-molded,rubber composition; Dis;- posed within the-sole between Itheupper and lower surfaces-thereof are two flexible plates Il and l2.

the latter is in the heel portion' of the sole. plates :preferably areformed of metal sheets hav-4 ing surfaces suchv tliatthe` rubbercomposition when vulcanizedwill adhere nrmlyy to the same. For'example;the steel maybe treated byknown methods, such as by one which producesVa surface crystal-linityr which'- enables the rubber tol bond ftothe-.plates duringrthe vulcanization process.-In-addition toyvulcanizing rubberv `in `enf.- veloping;y relation-:to the plates,calk-anchoring Y members V-also are enveloped in the rubber. Suchmembers are, in the embodiment of the invention illustratedin Figures 1-to 4,;inthe formof threadednmembers- I3 V`which` extend `throughperforain bosses orv calkA seats y, l 'l which are integral with theAmolded material of the sole proper.,

describedisole.construction are designated generally bythe-numeral I8,one ofthe calks-being shown in detached relation in Figure 3.' The body,4

of theicalks'islformed of a rm butv resilient Y, molded.rubbercomposition' or other suitable ma terial.. Embeddedfinl eachl ofthe calks I andy rmly anchored thereto Vis a stud I9 having a' threadedsection 20' extending from the yupper end` of the calk. llItwill beapparent that the calks-can be attached *to the sole merely by screwing.the threaded studs into the threaded interiors ofthe anchoringme'mbersi3. ,By screwing them-firmly into position, the calks as well as theCalleri-ases` Il canbe compressed slightly, thus placing adequateAtension on the threadedy meni- V,

bers `to resist-looseningyof the calks during use.

Forthepurposeof more securely attaching the calks'to-the-sole, thecontacting faces ofthe calks and-.the calk-bases. illustratedhavefvcomplemenf taryformations of.-po1ygonal or circular conguf rationswhich increase the frictional engagement thereof when-the rcalks areiirmlyturned intox seating position.y For example, in Figures 3,-and

4 theflowe'r faces ofi'the calk bases are provided with circular or, Vasshown, frusto-conical recesses .These plates may be of sheet metal, ltheformer being located in the forward portion whileY The calksor cleatsSuitame for use .with the above.

I'Ia while the upper faces of the calks are provided with circular or,as shown, frusto-conical projections I8a. The projections preferably areof such diameter as to t snugly within the recesses or such as todistend the rubber material surrounding the recesses and compress theprojections slightly as the latter are forced into seating relation andthus sei; up forces which further resist any tendency of the calks tobecome loose during use. The calk shown in Figure 10 has a protuberanceI8b that is polygonal in plan view and is adapted to seat in acomplementary i recess (not shown) in a calk base, the flexibility ofthe base material being such as to enable the calk to be screwed intofirm contact as in the above described embodiment of the invention.

As illustrated in Figure 4 the flanges or heads I5 of the calk-anchoringmembers I3 are embedded in the portion of the rubber of the solev whichlies above the plates II and I2, the rubber preferably being bonded tosuch heads. be noted that the apertures or perforations I4 of the plateare of such diameter in relation to the Shanks of the anchoring membersI3 that the anchoring members are enabled to tilt or pivot or moveupwardly with reference to the respective plates.

Figure 5 illustrates a modification of the construction shown in Figure4. In Figure 5 it will be noted that the upperl flange I5 of theanchoring member I3 is spaced from'the upper surfacewith durability ofconstruction but also with the comfort ofthe Vuser of shoes providedwith such soles. For example, if an impact on a calk is directedvertically upward, the cushioning action of the resilient material ofthe call: and of the superjacent portion of the resilient sole materialbeneath the respective plate not only fun'ctions to absorb the impactbut actually distributes the force thereof over a substantial portion'ofthe plate. This distribution of forces is augmented by reason of thelbonding of the sole material to the plates. While the calk attachingmeans, that is, the anchoring members I3 and the studs 20, may tend torise relative to the plate as the calk and sole materials arecompressed, as above-mentioned, such relative movement is furtherresistedto some extent by the upper portion of the resilient solematerial which overlies the heads or flanges I5 of the members I3, whichmaterial, as stated, preferably is bonded to the heads I5. Hence theinner lportion of the sole material, that is, the rubber material abovethe plate or plates participates in cushioning and distributing shockson the calks. It will be seen that the plates are not subjected directlyto the forces of impacts transmitted to the attaching means since themembers I3 can move relative to the respective plates and hence definitecleavage lines in the plates are not established nor is fatigue of themetal of the plates caused by successive vertical impacts imposed on thecalks.

Where the calks are subjected to lateral or angular stresses tending todeflect them from It will normal position, the resultant angularmovements of the attaching means do not impose destructive bendingstresses on the plates due to the fact that the plate apertures are ofsuch diameter as to accommodate such movements of the members. The headsor flanges of the anchoring members I3 tend to tilt or pivot withrespect to the upper surface of the plate as a calk is laterallydeflected due to the fact that a portion of the periphery of the headsI5 on the side of origin of the imposed stresses will contact the plateand so act as the center of moments. Such points of contact are spacedradially from the respective perforations of the plate a distancedependent on the radius of the heads which, as will be noted, are suchas to avoid imposition of such stresses at the margins of theperforations. Formation of cracks in the plate extending from theperforations or deformations in the plate adjacent the perforation arethus substantially avoided by the improved construction.

Where the calks and the contacting portions of the sole are of resilientmaterial, they tend to absorb the lateral as well as the upwardcomponents of the laterally applied forces and to distribute them torelatively large areas of the plates as above mentioned, and hencelessen the likelihood of forming cleavage lines in the plate. Thetilting or pivotal movement of the members I3, as above mentioned, isresisted also by the superjacent portion of the sole material. It willbe apparent, therefore, that while the plates aord means for anchoringthe calk attaching members the latter do not impose directly or localizeat or adjacent the points of attachment or contact therewith thenumerous upward and lateral stresses encountered by the calks during useof shoes embodying the improvements but due to the co-action of theparts described the applied forces or stresses are distributed oversubstantial areas which not only renders the construction more durablebut more comfortable as well. When the calks are firmly attached inposition on the sole, lateral stresses imposed on the calks aretransmitted directly from the upper surface of the calk to thecontacting portion of the sole but are not so directly transmitted bythe calk attaching means and hence the studs are not readily bent duringuse. However, the studs are reinforced or stiffened by the anchoringmember I3. Such reinforcement extends from the upper end of the studsdown to a ,line adjacent the lower surface of the sole material andhence the studs are adequately stiffened at the portions most subjectedto'bending stresses upon the imposition of lateral impacts on the calks.

In the embodiment of the improvements shown in Figure 6, the sole 2| hasembedded thereinka calli-anchoring plate or plates 22 similar to platesII and I2 above described. The plates 22 are provided with perforations23 for accommodating the shanks of threaded studs 24, the heads of whichoverlie the marginal portions of the plates surrounding the respectiveopenings 23 and preferably are substantially flush with the uppersurface of the sole material beneath the plates 22. Nuts 25 on the studs24 are spaced from the plates 22 by the intermediate portions 26 of thesole material which not only cushions the plates from the effect ofvertical thrusts imposed on the nuts but also serves to disperse suchshocks or forces throughout and to dissipate them in relatively largesuperjacent areas of the plates.

'Ihe calk 21 has embedded therein a nut 28 for receiving the threadedportionof thestudandat the upper surface of the calk there isprovided arecess-29 for accommodatingthe exposedportion ofthe nut or anchoringmember 25. l' Stresses imposed on the calks 21 during use arepartially-abc orsoleplate,asithelatter fiexes'in useian'dlalso' sorbedby vthecalks and partiallybythe sole'ma- Y terial disposed beneath vtheplates "22; Such stresses are'distribut'ed to the sole overgsubstantialvareas ofthe sole as will be seen; Whereithe impacts imposedon the calksarefsufcientto tend to cause the studs to move upwardly vwith referencevto theplates, such movement is accommodated by reason of the factthatthe `studs arenot rigidly attached to the'plates andhence such im-`posed stresses do notr tend to distort or flex the platesito orfadjacent theperforations 23 therein,

and thus' the formation of cleavage lines passing through or originatinginthe perforations Vis avoided.r` Lateral stresses imposed on the calksmay :tend to cause .the studs to'move pivotally slightly, in whichinstance the calks may pivot at points'on the heads which bear directlyor'indi-V rectlyon the; upper surfaces of the plates. Such points,however, are spaced radially from the perthe lower portion of thesolematerial on`thesideof the members opposite the origin of the imposedstresses. i Y

It will, therefore, be seen that while the -plates in the embodiments ofthe invention disclosed can flex transversely and thus permit the normalflexing action of the'soleias the weight of the wearer serves toindicate thefseam tectthe` seam'. e I l yIt Will-be observed `thereforethat the above Idescribed embodiments of the invention produce certainadvantageous results over prior art'structures wherein thecalk-attaching means were directly attached to the plates as by threaded.engagement therewith, or. were provided with heads line aswell as topro-v which were anchored merely inthe flexible rubber or compositionsole/material beneath theV plates.

i While AI have shownv and described certain em-v bodiments of myimprovements for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will beapparent thatv various1modications thereof may beresorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

Havingthus describedw 'the invention, what I c claim as `new and`desireto cover byiLetters Patentis: l 'y e '1. A shoe sole comprising aperforated plate and .resilient sole material on thelower side thereof,calk-anchoring members each movably l contacting the upper surface ofthe plate and l extending downwardly through a perforation into.embraced relation with said resilient"sole material, and calksof'resilient material`each-provided with means for engaging acalk-anchorshifts from backward and forwardin use, the

stresses imposed on the calks are not transmitted ened at theperforations but concavities are provided for the ush receipt of theheads 24 of the studs 23, or the flanges I 5 of the member I3 where theanchoring means. shown in Figure 4 are employed. The flexible solematerial IIlb on the upper surface of the plate I IEL extends into theconcavities and thus cushions the heads of the studs or the upper angesof the members I3 as described above with respect to the embodimentillustrated in Figure 5. v

The sole construction illustrated in Figures 8 and 9v of the drawing maycorrespond with the construction shown in either of the above describedembodiments except that in the form shown in Figures 8 and 9 the outersurface of the sole is provided with a rib 30 integral with the lowerportion of the sole material which reinforces the latter along themarginal portions of the plates 3| and 32. The reinforcing rib reducesthe likelihood of the sole material being cut by the edges of theplates, particularly the forward ing` member' for retaining therespective 'calkin bompressive contactlwithv the resilient material ofthe sole for cooperationy with thev latter in absorbing Vstressesimposed on fthe calks in directions `t'ending'to move 'the respectiveanchoring members relativeto the plate. l 2. A shoe sole comprising laperforated plate and resilient sole material on the lower" side thereof,threadedcalk-anchoring members each movablyj contacting the uppersurface `lof the plate'andex'tending through one of the perfora-jtionszandi enfibrace'dv byf the resilient material on the. lowersideofthe plate, and calks-of resilient material each 'provided withthreaded meansfor threadedlyengaging 'a calk-anchoring memberwhereby.theresilientmaterial of the calks can be tightenedlintocompressive contact with the resilient materialoflthe sole 4forcooperation with the-latter infabsorbing stresses'imp'osed on thecalks-tending to move the respectiveI anchoring membersirelative' to theplate. 5

'3. Ashcef sole of molded flexible material havinga Vflexibleperforatedplate embedded therein, calks for the sole', and calk attaching meanseach having Va portion embedded ina calk and a cooperating portionextending through a perforation of the plate and moyablerelativelythereto.

4. A shoe sole of molded resilient material comprising a flexibleperforated plate embedded in ,taching means for securing the calks tothe sole,

said means comprising members secured to the calks and cooperatingmembers extending through perforations of the plateand movable laterallywithin said perforations, said last mentioned members being so embracedby the flexible sole material at the lower side of the plate that saidmaterial cushions the relative movement of the embraced members withrespect to theplate.

5. A shoe sole of iiexible rubber composition, a perforated flexiblemetal plate embedded therein, calks for the sole, and means forattaching the calks to the sole comprising members secured within saidcalks and cooperating members each extending through a perforation inthe plate and of a diameter affording relative movement within ;theVperforation, and provided with anchoring portionsyboth above and belowthe plate, at least one of said portions of each of said members beingembraced by the flexible composition of the sole vwhereby the lattercushions upward and lateral movements of the members imparted`thereto'by stresses imposed on the calks.

6. A shoe sole of flexible material, a perforated flexible metal plateembedded therein, calksprovided with threaded attaching members, andmeans for anchoring the calks to the sole comprising a threaded memberfor threadedly receiving the threaded member of a calk and eachextending through one cf the perforations of the plate and of a diameteraording relative movement thereof within the respective perforation,each of said members having ahead extending over the portion of theplate surrounding the respective perforation and a lower portionembraced within the exible material of the sole below the plate.

'7. A shoe sole of fiexiblematerial having a perforated plate disposedbetween the upper and lower surfaces thereof, calks of resilient com.pressible material, and attaching means for the calks anchored to thesole above the plate comprising members provided with heads overlyingthe margins of the perforations and each extending downwardly throughone of said perforations and of a diameter permitting the heads of themembers to pivot on the plate at points radially removed from themargins of the respective perforations, and members carried by the calkseach fcr'engaging one of the attaching members cf the sole for retainingthe calks in compressed relation in contact with the sole.

8. A shoe sole of resilient material provided with a perforatedresilient metal plate disposed between the upper and lower surfacesthereof, call: anchoring membershaving shanks extending downwardlythrough said perforations and each provided with heads overlying themargins of the respective perforations, the portions of the Shanks ofsaid members within said perforations being of such diameter as toenable the members to pivot with respect to the plate about marginalportions of the respective heads, and calks each provided with a memberfor engaging a shank of one of the anchoring members of the sole andretaining the respective calk in contact `with a lowerportion of theresilient sole material.

9. A shoe sole comprising a lower surface of resilientsmaterial, aperforated plate disposed above said surface, calks for the sole, andmeans for attaching theY calks under tension against the resilientmaterial of the sole comprising col operating pairs of threaded members,one of each pair being carried by a calk and the other member having ashank` extending downwardly through and of smaller diameter than aperforation of the plate and provided with a portion having pivotalanchoring contact with the upper surface of the plate to enable the calkto pivot about said portion under restraint of the contacted portion ofthe resilient sole material.

l0. A shoe sole comprising a metal plate and resilient sole material onthe lower side thereof constituting the lower surface of the sole, calksmovably the sole, and means for attaching the calks under compressionagainstl the material of the sole whereby relative movements of thecalks with respect to the sole are cushioned, said means comprisingthreaded members pivotally attached to the plate and cooperatingthreaded` members carried by the calks.

11. A shoe sole provided with flexible calk seats on the lowerisurfacethereof, calks for the sole and cooperating threaded members carried bythe sole and calks for removably securing'the calks in contact with theseats, the contacting surfaces of the seats and calks having coactingfrusto-conical formations which mutually exert opposed radial forces onthe seats and "calks for resisting retrograde threaded movement of thecalk.

l2. A shoe sole comprising a perforated plate and resilient solematerial on the lower side thereof, calk-anchoring members each movablycontacting the upper surface of the plate and extending downwardlythrough a perforation into embraced relation with the said resilientmaterial, and calks each provided with means for engaging acalli-anchoring member for retaining the respective calk in compressivecon# tact with the resilient material of the sole for cooperation withthe latter in absorbing stresses imposed on the calks in directionstending to move the respective anchoring members relative to the plate.

IRA I. TUBBS.

CERTIFICATE oF CORRECTION. Patent No. 255o,t58. september 23, 1915.

IRA I. TUBES.

It is hereby certified that error appa ars in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent -eqair-ing; correctl on as follows Page l,first co lumn, line 25, for "dstrdctive" read -destructiVe-; page li,second co lumn, line 20, for "movably" read "for; same line, for' forread --movably; and that the said Letters Patent should be read withthis correction therein that the same may conform to the record of thecase in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 2.1 st dasr of December, A. v D. 19MB.

n Henry Van 'Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commssi oner of Patents.

